


Neck and Neck

by justgottabehonest



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Klangst Week 2017, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 00:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10451073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justgottabehonest/pseuds/justgottabehonest
Summary: Keith thinks about his relationship with Lance.





	

**Author's Note:**

> That moment when you're a day late fro Klangst week... Ehhh, whatever, here it is.

"Yeah, all those mermaids were like 110% into me," Lance leans against his Lion in front of the overly enthralled young Taujeerians.  Their little green worm-like bodies wiggle with happiness at the after thought from the finished story. 

"Weren't you scared through all of that?" One of little ones asks with their electronic voice quivering with the smallest bit of fear.

"No," Lance says confidently, leaning down to face-to-face with the alien, "At least not for myself.  I was really scared for my buddy Hunk over there-" he raises his arm to the nearby Hunk who is advising Taujeerian technicians, "-I was scared they were going to hurt him.  But, it all worked out in the end."

A chorus of happy beeps wails through the small crowd.  Unbeknown to Lance, there is  another audience member on the other side of his Lion.  Keith smiles despite himself, he knows Lance is an idiot, but at least he's an honest one.  Keith knows from Hunk that Lance did not over exaggerate a single detail of that story, but that didn’t stop the little ball in his gut from chewing up his insides.  He saw Blue and Yellow Lions’ footage, he knows how beautiful those mermaids are, how most anyone could fall in love with one.  Keith looks down at his legs, no beautiful tail, he knew his skin was a pale porcelain under his uniform, no magical vibrant colors.  

His eyes go back to Lance, standing in the planet’s eastern sunlight.  It’s like he’s looking through a window at a perfect image that he can’t quite reach, so bright and full of life.  Keith is almost jealous, being so dark and withdrawn compared him.  Then he’s left breathless as Lance puts an elbow on the Lion, resting his cheek on his hand looking so entertained by the aliens.

He has to pull himself away from the sight and his feelings and starts walking back towards the Castle of Lions, Allura and Shiro must be finished with drafting the new allies into their regime of peace, Hunk and Pidge would be done with the tech work soon enough, then they’ll all be off this colony moon.  Keith has no real reason to be out here.  He should go in, either rest or prepare for the next Galra attack.  As if he could, with everything on his mind.

“Yo!” Lance voice stops Keith dead in his traps, “Mullet!  Come here!”

“Why?” Keith does a half turn to look at  his fellow paladin.

“You should tell them a story!” the tan boy insists.  “You gotta make up for running off with Allura somehow!”

“Nah,” he cracks a partial smile for the little tykes, trying not to seem like a complete asshole, “You tell them something about me.  I’m hittin’ the hay.”

“Fine,” Lance huffs slightly.  Turning back to the Taujeerians and crosses his arms.  Keith falls back into his steady pace, before hearing Lance’s distant voice again.  “Alright, guys, as much as I don’t like to admit it, Keith’s actually...   He’s actually a pretty decent dude.”    Keith freezes for just a moment, before jumping into the nearest cover.  Lance just admitted he was cool, the Red Paladin wants to say something, enjoy a major victory.  Then again, Lance isn’t done.  “I mean, he’s like a major hot head, kinda a jerk, but…  He’s a great pilot, the best out of everyone. He can fight like nothing you’ve kids have ever seen.  I won’t ever say that to his face.”

“Why don’t you marry him?  Aren’t you a monogamous species?” One of the slightly older Taujeerians beeps.

“Me?!  Marry Keith?!” Lance sputters,  “Nuh uh, no way. Yeah, like, humans do try and like…  Find their true love, but, like, I like girls.  Well…  I did have that one dream where Keith was a girl, but, like, that’s different.  But, yeah, if Keith wasn’t such a jerk and a girl, I’d totally marry him…  And I’d invite all of you guys!”

The kids laugh, and Keith’s heart feels so heavy.  Of course he knew, this isn’t the first time this has happened to Keith.  Lance only added that last part to amuse the kids, and that pissed Keith off so much.  He, even with all of Lance’s praises,  won’t be enough for Lance.  He isn’t a pretty girl, he isn’t a breathtaking alien princess, he’s a cool guy that Lance admires despite himself.  Lance will never want Keith like Keith wants him.

Keith starts walking back to the ship again, his chest feeling more cramped with each step.  He shouldn’t even be worrying about this right now.  With the war against the Galra, and the knife that could tell him about the past he doesn’t fully know, Lance should be an afterthought.  “ _ If Keith was a girl…” _  What a stupid thing, what a ridiculous way to define your attraction to someone.  And what a ridiculous person to be attracted to.

Yet, he still is.  Lance makes him feel important, like he isn’t an outsider.  All of his life, it’s been, Keith: The Wonder Child; Keith: The Orphan; Keith; The Best Pilot; Keith: Couldn’t Handle The Pressure…  Then suddenly it was, “ _ Lance and Keith: Neck and Neck!” _  He wasn’t alone, he wasn’t on a pedestal, he had someone who wanted to be there by his side as his equal.  

Keith is compelled yet again to look back at Lance, waving goodbye to the Taujeerians and placing his helmet back onto his head.  Lance beckons to Blue, the robot feline obliging by sulking down and opening it’s mouth.  The Blue Paladin, look over, smiling his devilish grin that makes Keith want to roll his eyes and faint all at the same time.  Over his headset he hears, “Betcha I can do three laps around the moon before you can!”

“Give me five and you’re on!” Keith grins back at him.

**Yeah, Lance may not be his, but Keith knows Lance will always be by his side.  Neck and Neck. **


End file.
